What has influenced my life more than any other single thing has been my stammer. Had I not stammered I would probably... have gone to Cambridge as my brothers did, perhaps have become a don and every now and then published a dreary book about French literature.

Summary

The quote suggests that the speaker's stammer has had a profound impact on their life. Without it, they believe they would have followed a conventional path, attending Cambridge University like their brothers and pursuing a career as a professor. However, the stammer has redirected their life, leading them on a different trajectory. The speaker implies that this obstacle has offered them unique experiences and opportunities, allowing them to escape the presumed mundane life they would have led, including publishing uninspiring books about French literature.

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